1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices used in the installation and mounting of elongated tubular material such as pipes, conduit and wire over and across a surface, and more particularly to installation and mounting of such items upon a generally horizontally disposed surface such as a roof or floor.
2. Background Information
Many features of modern construction provide convenience by allowing a party to simply and easily access items from a distant location. Examples of such devices include plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. In many of these instances needed materials such as natural gas, electricity, water, and other items are transported from one location to another through a conduit. These conduits must be permanently attached in one location so as to support the conduit while preventing the conduit from being damaged or moved out of a desired alignment and position.
One of the ways in which this is done is through mounting devices that are mounted or secured in a desired location so as to support and maintain the stability of these devices. In mounting or securing such items there are several considerations that must be taken into account. Some of these considerations include: the weight of the pipes on the roof, the possible damage to the roof and the environmental considerations in which the system will be placed. Mounting systems must have sufficient strength so as to support a designated item in a desired position and orientation upon a roof. Mounting systems must also be of a material that will not cause damage to the roof or floor, or other surface that underlies the position wherein the mounting system is placed. If damage to the surface were to occur, for example in the instance of a roof, damage to the underlying roof could cause additional damage to the interior of the building.
Other considerations that must also be taken into account include providing a means for allowing the general slope of the conduit to be maintained and adjusted in such a way so as to allow the desired flow and positioning of materials through the transport tube. In some instances, such as those occurrences wherein a party is dealing with gravity fed drain lines, an appropriate slope must be accommodated so as to ensure the proper drainage of the pipes from a first location to a discharge area. In other modifications the general level of the pipe must be left level so as to ensure the appropriate rate of flow of materials through these devices. In other applications, the appropriate positioning of the device is crucial to the protection and function of the conduits and the materials passed there through.
Another problem that occurs in the prior art is that the weight of the blocks that are placed upon the roof in order to ensure the stability of these conduits are many times burdensomely heavy and thus difficult and bulky for a user to move and install. Another feature that exists in the prior art is that some of the devices utilized in the prior art have inherent limitations because of their size and configurations and do not allow for the placement of multiple pipes or conduit to be run over a designated distance.
Various prior art systems have attempted to address these problems. However, each of these systems has had inherent problems associated with them. One system that is employed in the prior art utilizes the attachment of the tubing to wooden planks with unfinished metal clamps. This system has many limitations. One problem is that significant damage can be caused to the roofing material by wooden planks. This damage is incurred not only from the weight of materials but also by movement of the planks along the surface of the roof as the conduit connected thereto expands and contracts in response to various thermal conditions. Furthermore, in climates where the devices are exposed to water in various forms, the increased exposure to moisture causes the wood to rot and the unprotected metal to rust and therefore requires frequent replacement and repair. Another problem that exists in such an embodiment is that the wooden planks must be shimmed or cut in order to accommodate various height and slope requirements depending upon the conduit that is being mounted. This requires that an installer not only bring all of the bulky wooden pieces and the metal connection parts with him/her onto the roof, but that he/she also bring tools with them so that they can cut, modify and construct bracing of various heights so as to allow for the proper installation of the conduits upon the designated surface.
Therefore what is needed is an improved system for mounting and placing conduits and pipes upon a building structure. What is also needed is a system and device that allows for variable forms of flexibility with pieces that are easy to carry, simple to use and easy to install. What is also needed is a device that provides vertically and horizontally stable support elements connected to a connection device that allows for the placement of multiple variable conduits that are attached to support devices through simple means with limited use of tools. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide these items.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.